1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to surface mounted door latches and more particularly to narrow style surface mounted door latches usable on both right-handed and left-handed doors.
2. Prior Art
Reversible door latches usable on both right-handed and left-handed doors are well known. Some, like those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 113,097, 248,551, 311,575 and 907,389 achieve reversibility by rotating the latch bolt 180.degree. about its axis and turning the housing upside down. Since latches are conventionally opened by rotating the handle downward, it will be apparent that the handle will be rotated in one direction when the latch is used on a left-handed door and in the opposite direction when the latch is used on a right-handed door. Accordingly, the mechanism connecting the handle to the latch must serve to retract the latch regardless of the direction of rotation of the handle. Such "double-acting" latch retracting mechanisms are more complicated and more expensive than the latch retracting mechanisms found in non-reversible latches. They are also bulky and, therefore, typically require wider housings than those needed for unidirectional latches. This is disadvantageous when use on narrow style doors, such as narrow style aluminum store front doors, is contemplated.
Other latches, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,106, achieve reversibility by incorporating two latch bolts, one extendible through one side of the housing for use on right-handed doors and the other extendible through the other side of the housing for use on left-handed doors. Like the reversible latches discussed above, such latches are bulky since they require extra space to house the additional latch bolt and the actuating mechanism therefor. The extra latch bolt and actuating mechanism also add to the expense of the latch. Other exemplary reversible latches with similar deficiencies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,722,583, 2,114,418, 3,797,869 and 3,907,344.